Some Cebu hotels double their rates for APEC

ROOM rates shoot up twice their level in some Cebu City hotels if you book a reservation during meeting dates of  the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015.

Cebu Daily News went on line and made phone queries over the weekend to check the feedback of Assistant Secretary Laura del Rosario that some hotels charged as high as 120 percent of published rates.

CDN first viewed the website of Radisson Blu, the main venue of APEC meetings, for a superior room.

For non-Apec dates of August 12 to 13, the website showed rates starting from P6,100 a night.

APEC meetings start on August. 22 in Cebu.

READ: Relax hotel rate hikes | Radisson ready for APEC, say execs

For August 22 to September 6, the average rate for a superior room starts at P12,000 without tax.

CDN also called up Radisson Blu’s hotline. A female staffer explained that the superior room with breakfast and taxes would cost P7,487.

When asked about a reservation from August 22 to September 6, a male staffer from reservation said that a room would cost P15,835 with breakfast and taxes “because of high occupancy due to APEC.”

CDN did the same comparison online with Marco Polo Plaza’s website.

A Deluxe Mountain View room during August 12 to 13 is only P6,665 including buffet breakfast, wifi access, service charge and taxes.

But if you ask to book on August 22 to September 6, the same room category is P12,200. This includes buffet breakfast, Wifi access with service charge and taxes.

For a Deluxe Sea View room, the rate on August 12 to 13 outside the APEC period is P6,995 including breakfast, service charge and taxes.

However, the room rate shoots up to P12, 640 during APEC season.

When CDN phoned Marco Polo Plaza, a female staffer explained that room rates will go up from August 19 to September 1 due to APEC.

In Marriott Cebu, a female staffer who answered the hotline said the cost of a deluxe room on August 12 to 13 is P6,997 with breakfast and tax.

She said the hotel has a higher rate during APEC season. Its lowest room rate starts at P17,799 with breakfast and taxes.

In Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa, there was a slight increase in its online rate.

In its website, a Main Wing Deluxe Room during August 12 to 13 (non-APEC) is listed at P11, 200 per night with buffet breakfast.

On APEC dates, the same room will cost slightly higher at P13, 073 with buffet breakfast.

However, figures actually dropped when CDN made a call to the Shangri-la’s hotline.

A female staffer on the line said the rate for August 12 to 13 is P17, 185 with breakfast for two and tax charges.

However, during August 24 to September 1, she said the cost is lower at P15,589 with the same inclusions.

She explained that the cost is lower based on a computation set on “dynamic” prices which means it depends on the occupancy of the the hotel.

Hembler Mendoza, tourism officer for Lapu Lapu City, said he hasn’t received any complaints from APEC delegates making reservations in hotels and resorts in Lapu Lapu City.

“We haven’t heard of that and so far there are no problems encountered on hotel rates. In fact, they are giving corporate rates and special rates,” Mendoza told CDN.